All new marathon runners and non-marathoners alike, when they see their first Gel/Gu/Clif Shot immediately screw up their face and say euggggghhhhh! frosting! how the heck am I supposed to swallow that stuff and run at the same time?
Well there are a few important tips that can make this experience much less unpleasant.
Obviously first find one that tastes good to you. There are a gazillion flavors out there and you should be able to find one that does not repel you too much. My personal favorite is Power Gel Strawberry Banana, followed by Banana GU. At most big race expos the manufacturers have tasting booths for you to try them.
The shots do also come in different sizes with different quantities of carbohydrate so you should try a few brands and find one that you are able to consume totally while on the run. They are expensive and there is no point taking half a pack and throwing the rest away. Gels are the biggest and the GUs and Clif Shots are smaller.
Once you have found your flavor you should try it for consistency. The #1 complaint about these products is that they are too tacky to swallow and that they make runners gag. Believe it or not this is easily remedied.
The colder the gel the thicker its consistency. If you are running in Minnesota in January and pull a chocolate gel out of your fanny pack it will likely be harder to swallow than a Clinton denial.
I find that if I take the gel out of my pouch 5-10 minutes before I want to use it and hold it in my hand or slip it inside my glove, it warms up and gains the consistency of a nice milk shake. Shoots straight down no problem. It is important to make sure that when you tear the top off you get a good hole; if you get a pinhole and squeeze, be prepared for a GU explosion....yuck!
It is very important to drink lots and lots of water with these products. For the carbs to be rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream through the lining of your small intestine, water is required. If your stomach is empty it will just sit in there in a blob and make you sick.
Do not drink Gatorade or any other Sports drink to wash these products down. They contain carbs too and you will experience carb overload and it will all just pass through your system.
I prefer to use no more than one per hour while running but I know some people who take twice that many; I just can't carry that load over a marathon distance!
Power Gel energy gel from the makers of PowerBar. This convenient, efficient energy source helps you reach new endurance levels. Formulated with simpl...More at Bike Nashbar
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.